Ventilator assembly for a flexible cover



Dec. 19, 1961 J. W. KNIGHT VENTILATOR ASSEMBLY FOR A FLEXIBLE COVERFiled Oct. 13, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ll 37 ""I 2 8 mmvron JOHN WKNIGHT BY MAHONEY- MILLER & RAMBO ATTORNEYS Dec. 19, 1961 J. w. KNIGHT3,013,483

VENTILATOR ASSEMBLY FOR A FLEXIBLE COVER Filed Oct. 13, 1959 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

' 5 JOHN w. KNIGHT MAHONEY, MILLER & RAMBO ATTORNEYS Dec. 19, 1961 J- w.KNIGHT VENTILATOR ASSEMBLY FOR A FLEXIBLE COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledOct. 15, 1959 INVENTOR JOHN W. KNLG HT BY MAHONEY. MILLER & RAMBOATTORNEYS BY MV-W United States Patent Qhio Filed Oct. 13, 1959, Ser.No. 846,201 3 Claims. (CI. 9837) My invention relates to a ventilatorassembly for a flexible cover. It has to do, more particularly, with aventilator assembly for attachment to a flexible cover such as a boatcover to reduce the hazards of dry rot, mold and mildew to a boat andits contents.

According to my invention, I provide a ventilator assembly for use, forexample, in a flexible canvas cover of the type commonly applied tovarious types of boats to protect them from rain and other weather. Theventilator assembly of the present invention is extremely simple andinexpensive in its construction, While at the same time providingeflicient ventilation for the covered boat and protection against entryof blowing rain, insects, etc. The present ventilator assembly is sodesigned that it can be easily stitched into position within a ventopening cut into the cover. The present assembly includes a removable,substantially rigid, air scoop-type ventilator member and an associatedflexible mounting rim or pocket-forming insert, the latter being adaptedto be permanently sewn to the boat cover, with the ventilator memberbeing readily detach-able from the flexible mounting rim to permit flatfolding and storage of the flexible boat cover in the usual manner.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated my ventilator assemblyincorporated in one type of boat cover. However, it will be understoodthat the present ventilator assembly may be applied to many differenttypes of boat covers or other similar covers made of flexible material.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of my improvedventilator assemblies applied to a boat cover.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the ventilator assembly before applicationthereof to a boat cover.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view illustrating howthe flexible ventilator mounting rim or insert is sewn into anassociated boat cover.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the air scoop ventilator body apartfrom the associated flexible mounting rim or insert.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the flexible mounting rim of thepresent ventilator assembly.

With reference to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 I have illustrated aflexible cover C for the boat B. This cover is provided with a pluralityof the ventilating assemblies 10 which embody my invention. Any numberof these assemblies 16 may be readily incorporated in the cover to givethe proper ventilation to the interior of the boat. The cover C isusually of canvas material but may be of other flexible material such asplastic or the like.

Each assembly 10 includes a substantially rigid or semirigid ventilatormember 11 and a flexible pocket-forming mounting rim or insert 12 forremovably receiving the ventilator member.

The ventilator member 11 preferably includes a segmental dome-shaped orair scoop-shaped body 13 which defines a right angular passage or throat14 which opens at the forward and lower ends of the body. The body 13 isformed along its open lower end with an outwardly projecting,transversely curved, generally U-shaped base flange 15. Within thethroat 14 at the lower side thereof is a vertically inclined bafllemember 16 which extends partially upwardly into the throat 14 andtransversely across the same. This baffle member 16 is provided with aforwardly projecting curved base flange 17 which extends transverselyacross the forward open end of the body 13 in underlying relation to theforward ends of the U-shaped base flange 15 and projects forwardlybeyond the forwardmost edge 18 of the body 13. It will be apparent thatthe plane of the edge 18 which defines the open mouth of the body 13 isgenerally perpendicular to the plane of the flanges 15 and 17. Thebaflle 16 extends at an angle upwardly and rearwardly within the throat14 and terminates at its upper and inner edge in a flat lip 19 spacedbelow the upper wall of the body 13. Triangular tabs 20 are provided atthe ends of the baflle and are cemented or otherwise secured to theinner side surfaces of the body 13. The curvature in the flanges 15 and17 causes them to turn downwardly slight ly as indicated in FIGURES 3 to5. Cemented to the lower surface of the flanges 15 and 17 is an insectexcluding screen 21 which extends fully over the open bottom in the body13 of the ventilator member. The flanges 15 and 17 form a substantiallycontinuous, laterally projecting base flange extending completely aroundthe periphery of the body 13 at the bottom thereof. Thus, the member 11is made of three parts, namely, the body 13, the baflle 16, and thescreen 21 which may be molded as separate units, preferably fromsubstantially rigid or semi-rigid plastic or other suitable material,and which may be easily and permanently secured to one another bycementing or in any other suitable manner.

The ventilator assembly further includes a flexible pocket-formingmounting rim or insert 12 which is of the same general shape, butslightly wider than the base flanges 15 and 17 of the ventilator member.This mounting rim or insert 12 may be made of the same flexible materialas the cover C, or from other suitable flexible material which can bestitched or otherwise fastened to the cover C. The mounting rim 12includes a lower base panel 26 of flexible material which has a centralopening 25 formed therein which is slightly smaller in area than thebottom opening of the ventilator body 13. Attached to the upper surfaceof this panel 26 is a double thickness, flexible, U-shapedpocket-forming strip or ply 27. The strip 27 overlies the side andrearward edge portions of the base panel 26 and is secured thereto by aU-shaped line of stitches 26a spaced a distance inwardly from the outeredges of the panel 26 and the strip 27. The ends of the U-shapedpocket-forming strip 27 define a pair of foldable inner corners 28.Secured to the panel 26 at the front edge portion thereof, as by meansof the line of stitches 26b, is another double thickness, flexible strip29 which has its ends 30 extended beneath the inner corners 28 of thepocket-forming strip 27. Snap fasteners 31 are provided for detachablyconnecting the overlapping corners 28 to the ends 30 of the forwardstrip 29. The flexible strips 27 and 29 provide between them and thepanel 26 a continuous pocket having an outline closely conforming to thebase flanges 15 and 17 of the ventilator member 11. Thus, the baseflanges 15 and 17 of the ventilator member may be inserted within thepocket formed between the base panel 26 and the strips 27 and 29, andsecurely, but detachably, locked therein by closure of the snapfasteners 31. However, the member 11 can be easily removed as a unitfrom the flexible mounting rim 12 by opening the fasteners 31 which willthen permit the strips 27 and 29 to be folded upwardly to provideremoval clearance for the base flanges 15 and 17 of the ventilatormember.

To install the present ventilator assembly in the boat cover C, thelatter is cut at a desired location so as to form therein a vent openingconforming substantially in shape and size to the lines of stitches 26aand 26b of the flexible mounting rim or insert 12. The cut edges of thecover C which define this opening are then placed between the outeredges of the base panel 26 and the outer edges of the pocket-formingstrips 27 and 29 of the mounting rim 12, and the overlying layers,comprising the base panel 26, the cover C, and the pocket-forming strips27 and 29, are then sewn together with a continuous line of stitching35, as shown in FIGURE 5. Alternatively, if desired, the edges of thecover which define the ventilator-receiving opening may be permanentlycemented between the base panel 26 and the pocketforming strips 27 and29 through the use of a suitable adhesive.

In use, as indicated in FIGURE 1, the present ventilator assemblies maybe positioned in one or more desired locations on the boat cover C, soas to provide adequate ventilation for the covered and enclosed portionsof the boat. When so installed, the present ventilator assem bly permitsfree circulation of air to and from the interior of the boat. However,the baflle 16 serves to prevent the blowing or dripping of rain throughthe throat of the ventilator body 13 and the screen 21 will prevent theentry of insects or extraneous matter into the boat by way of theventilator body. By removing the substantially rigid ventilator member11 from the mounting rim 12, the associated boat cover may be flatlyfolded and stored without protrusion or bulges which would otherwiseoccur through the use of a non-detachable type of ventilator.

It will be apparent from the above that I have provided a ventilatorassembly for flexible covers which has many advantages. Some of theseadvantages have been discussed in detail and others will be apparent tothose skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A ventilator assembly for attachment to a flexible boat cover havinga vent opening formed therein comprising a generally annular mountingrim composed of a plurality of relatively overlying plies of flexiblefabric material, said plies being connected with one another in theircentral regions only and defining on the outer edge of said rim anoutwardly opening marginal pocket for the reception of the edge portionof a boat cover which defines the vent opening therein, said pliesforming at the inner edge of said rim an inwardly opening marginalpocket, one of the plies of said rim being formed by a pair ofrelatively separate strips having relatively overlying corner portions,said corner portions being openable to provide ingress and egress to andfrom the inwardly opening marginal pocket of said rim; a substantiallyrigid, hollow, scoop-shaped ventilator body having an open forward endand an open bottom and provided adjacent the bottom thereof with agenerally annular, laterally outwardly projecting base flange removablypositioned within the inwardly opening marginal pocket of said mountingrirn between the relatively overlying plies thereof; and snap fastenersconnected with said relatively over lying corner portions for closingsaid corner portions and to thereby prevent removal of the base flangeof said ventilator body from the inwardly opening marginal pocket ofsaid mounting rim.

2. A ventilator assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said ventilatorbody is provided internally with a trans versely extending, verticallyinclined baflle projecting upwardly from the base flange of said body atthe forward end thereof and partially closing the open forward end ofsaid body.

3. A ventilator assembly as defined in claim 2, including a perforate,insect-excluding screen secured to the base flange of said body incovering relation to the open bottom of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS380,207 Knobeloch Mar. 27, 1888 1,814,322 McCormack July 14, 19312,839,986 Herman June 24, 1958

